Come Back to Us
by colorguard28
Summary: When Gibbs leaves for Mexico and Tony takes over the team, McGee wants Gibbs to come back for his sake and for Abby's. Pairings: McAbby friends with benefits, Gabby, McNozzo.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Spoilers for episodes from Hiatus through Witch Hunt. (If those even count as spoilers anymore.) This was written for megeesgeek at NFA for the 2012 White Elephant Exchange for the prompt: "Prompt 2: Slash/Het—"Come back to me." _

_Pairings: McAbby friends with benefits, Tony/McGee, Gibbs/Abby._

_Warnings: Smut, emotional angst_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Gibbs walked back into the bullpen where the team was waiting. He took his wallet from the pile of belongings DiNozzo handed him, then gave the agent back the gun and badge.

"You'll do." He put a hand on the man's shoulder. "It's your team now."

Before anybody could say something, he walked across the bullpen and stopped in front of McGee's desk. "Tim, you're a good agent." The young man had developed quickly and was ready to step up. "Don't let him tell you otherwise." He could almost see McGee's spine straighten up. All the boy needed was confidence.

Gibbs stepped over to Abby. He couldn't let her talk, couldn't handle what she might say, about any of this. Not and do what he needed to do. He placed a finger over her lips, kissed her cheek, then forced himself to turn away before the tears in her big green eyes made him rethink this. He had to go; he couldn't stay.

As Ducky drove him home, he was silent, Abby's eyes haunting him. If she'd said something, he might have stayed. But he couldn't work for a government that would rather save face than save lives. Abby deserved better than him anyway. He'd almost forgotten that in the past couple of months, almost said what he really wanted to say when she'd flirt with him. Almost given in to the questions he saw in her eyes, wondering if he wanted more. He did, but he was too broken. He'd thought he was starting to heal, but Pin-Pin Pula had blasted him back to 1991 and once he remembered Abby, he knew he couldn't risk losing her the way he'd lost Shannon and Kelly.

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

Tony watched Gibbs walk out, still hearing "You'll do" playing on a loop in his head. Gibbs' badge and SIG were heavy in his hand, and he put them down on his desk. Abby looked devastated; Ziva, resigned. He didn't know if Gibbs had said something to make Ziva think he was leaving or if it was just her Mossad training, but she was the only one who didn't look surprised. The agent's final "Semper Fi" still hung heavy in the air, the creed behind those words so at odds with Gibbs' departure. Tony tried to figure out what he should do, but his brain kept stopping, skipping like a scratched CD.

Before he could unstick his mental record, McGee walked over. "How can I help?" McGee's expression was unreadable, and Tony couldn't help but think of Gibbs' final words to Probie. He _was_ a good agent, and Tony didn't tell him that often enough, needing to keep that bit of space so he didn't do something stupid like try to kiss the guy who was probably his best non-frat buddy. Especially since McGee kept insisting he wasn't gay, no matter how hard Tony pushed. He wanted to pretend tonight was a normal night, that he could invite McGee over to watch sci fi movies and mock them while McGee explained why the technology wouldn't actually work that way. And maybe lose himself in the normal and forget what had just happened. But this wasn't normal, and Tony couldn't let himself be the one who needed McGee. Abby needed him more. Her feelings for Gibbs weren't a secret, and she still hadn't said a word since he walked out 10 minutes ago. Gibbs was gone, Ducky with him to hopefully talk some sense into Gibbs. He needed to take care of everybody else.

Tony realized he still hadn't answered McGee.

"Take Abby home," he said, his voice barely audible. "Take care of her."

McGee nodded, his mouth briefly slipping into a frown. As he walked over to Abby, Tony approached the director, Gibbs' gun and badge in hand.

"Here." He held them out to her, and she hesitated before accepting them.

"Agent DiNozzo. See me when you come in tomorrow. For tonight, you and the team can go home." Tension lined her pale face.

He nodded and turned away. Ziva still watched the elevator.

"Ziva?"

"I am fine, Tony." She looked up at him. "He needs time. We will give it to him, yes?"

Tony nodded. "We will."

She smiled, a small one, and crossed the bullpen to talk to the director. The director had been a friend of Ziva's before she joined NCIS, and Tony was glad Ziva could talk to her.

But as he packed up his gear, he couldn't help but wish he had somebody to be there for him. It had always been Gibbs before, the man who was more a father than his own dad. But Gibbs had chosen Ducky now, even as he handed his badge over to Tony. He didn't have a friend handy, like Ziva did. Or a lover, the way Abby did. If that was even the right way to describe the relationship between the two geeks.

Tony headed to his car, alone. The way he always ended up.

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

McGee hadn't been able to resist going to Tony. He wanted to help his friend. Who was he kidding? He wanted to be there for the man he'd had a crush on since he joined the team — and have him to lean on, too. Gibbs... Gibbs had told him he was a good agent. The man who was even harder than his father, less willing to praise than the Admiral, had told Tim he was a good agent. He'd never gotten those words from his father, no matter what he'd done. But then Gibbs had left. He couldn't have said it before now? He had to wait until he was walking out?

McGee forced down those old feelings to help Tony, and the man just dismissed him, pushed him at Abby. Yes, sure, Abby needed somebody. The two of them had spent enough time talking about their respective hopeless crushes on Gibbs and Tony that he knew Abby would be devastated. But Tony was shutting him down as much as Gibbs had turned away from Abby.

He sighed and walked over to his best friend, wrapping an arm around her waist and turning her toward the back elevator. "Come on, Abbs."

She just nodded, and that's when McGee was able to push aside his own concerns. Abby was never quiet. She should be pacing and ranting and making plans for them all to go after Gibbs, not imitating a mouse. She didn't talk as they collected her things from the lab or as he drove her to her apartment. He walked her to her door, and still she didn't say anything. She fumbled her keys, and he took them from her unresisting hands, opening the door.

"Stay with me, Timmy?" Her voice was rough with unshed tears.

McGee nodded and followed her into the apartment, locking up behind them.

Abby disappeared into the bedroom and came out dressed in a tank top and cotton shorts a few minutes later, her face wiped clean of makeup. McGee didn't say anything about the redness around her eyes, just stepped close and hugged her.

"Why would he leave?" Abby's words were muffled by his shirt.

"He needs time, Abbs." McGee's words sounded hollow even to him. "It's been- He needs space."

Abby nodded, but her face was disconsolate.

"Abbs, what do you need?" McGee knew what she would say, and he didn't mind. After Tony's dismissal earlier, he needed it too.

"Be with me?" She looked up at him, the height difference they usually ignored noticeable now that she stood in bare feet.

He kissed her gently, wanting tonight to be about comfort for both of them. This would still be a mess tomorrow, but just for a few hours, they could forget, go back to the first days they met when they enjoyed each other rather than dreaming about their teammates. Tim led her into the bedroom. Her coffin was there, but she'd picked up a bed a few years ago, and that's where he led her. After what happened to the Cape Fear... No coffins or death tonight. They needed hope.

Tim stripped to his boxers, then slid his hands around Abby. His fingers slid up her bare back beneath her tank top, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, stretching up to kiss him.

It didn't take long before they were naked in her bed, the familiar rhythms coming back even though it had been more than a year. McGee found something comforting about this. He could almost hear Tony's saying in his mind, "Well, McDense, that's why they call it comfort sex." He pushed that thought aside.

Afterward, they lay in bed, Abby draped across him. "Thanks, Timmy." She kissed the center of his chest. "You didn't have to do this. You should have gone with Tony."

Tim shook his head. "He told me to go with you." He blinked away the brief sting in his eyes. "He doesn't think of me like that, no matter how much I want him to."

"Timmy, don't give up. He's just- Tony's-" She sighed. "He isn't thinking straight. Because Gibbs-" She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes.

"Abbs, he'll be back." Tim smoothed a hand along her back. "He just-" Tim sighed. "I still can't believe about his wife and daughter." He thought for a second. "Well, maybe I can. Tony told me how on one of our cases he slammed a captain into a wall because he intentionally put his wife and daughter in danger."

Abby nodded. "It makes sense now." Her voice had a hitch, but her eyes were dry. "Lots of things make sense, like why he's always dating redheads."

"Trying to replace what he lost." Tim ran his fingers through Abby's black hair. "At least you know you don't need to dye your hair a different color. The red hair probably just reminds him of her. And you're not trying to replace a dead woman." He hesitated. "Right?"

Abby shrugged. "I can't be Shannon," she said. "And Gibbs... Can he ever love somebody else like he loved Shannon? You can't tell me he loved Diane or Stephanie or Jenny or that first bitch of an ex-wife." She looked up at him, propping her chin on his chest. "I don't want to be a replacement, Timmy."

"I know, Abbs. And I don't know. We're just going to have to wait for him to come back and see."

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

Tim slipped out before Abby awoke the next morning so he could run home and change clothes without being late for work. He stopped to buy coffee for the team, hesitating when the cashier asked if he wanted his usual order. He shook his head and told her to skip the large black dark roast.

As he walked into the bullpen, he half-hoped he would get yelled at for not bringing Gibbs coffee, that last night was a nightmare. But the director was in the bullpen going over files with Tony, and Tim knew he hadn't imagined anything.

"Agent McGee." Director Shepard greeted him and handed him a folder. "Interim Senior Field Agent, until we sort things out formally. That will take a few weeks."

Tim looked to Tony, who had his own folder.

"Agent DiNozzo will be the team leader, and I'll assign you a probationary agent to start the first of the week." The director stood. "You're off rotation today and tomorrow so you can rearrange your desks and each of you can adjust to your new duties."

McGee nodded and straightened up. Gibbs had said he could do this, and Gibbs didn't lie about things like that. Gibbs had left, and the director wasn't pretending otherwise. Tony had circles under his eyes like he hadn't slept. McGee wanted to check on Tony, see how he was dealing with the situation. But Tony was now his boss. McGee was suddenly glad Tony had sent him home with Abby. McGee couldn't have comforted Tony last night, been the person he leaned on in the night, and then come in here and stepped away from the man who now supervised him. If today had to happen, it was probably for the best that he had gone with Abby last night, however much he wished otherwise.

He was still telling himself that after the sun had set and the bullpen emptied. He sat at Tony's desk — his desk now — and tried to adjust to the way the familiar bullpen looked completely different from this perspective.

Abby came up and sat on the edge of his desk. "He's going to come back, right?"

Tim hesitated. "Abby..."

"Timmy, he has to come back." She crossed her arms.

He sighed. "Tony doesn't think so. Or he'd still be sitting here, and Lee would have that desk I used to use when I was TAD here."

Abby set her jaw, a mutinious expression on her face. "Gibbs will be back."

"OK, Abbs." He didn't agree, but he wasn't going to argue with Abby in stubborn mode, either.

She tugged on his hand. "Come on, Timmy. Time to go home."

This time, they went to his house, and she offered to come up with him. "You were there for me yesterday," she said.

Tonight, there was no conversation in bed afterward. Really, what could they say? McGee just gathered Abby close, her familiar scent soothing him as they drifted off to sleep.

That set the tone of the next few months. Some days he needed her. Other days, she would seek him out. Before long, it was rare for them to spend a night apart. At night, after Abby fell asleep, McGee would gaze at her pale skin, only partially covered by a sheet and wish it was the tanned skin of his partner — now boss.

Each morning, Abby would wake just before the alarm and look at Tim's face, more youthful than ever when he slept. She wondered if Gibbs was able to let go of his worries in sleep and if she would ever get to marvel over how relaxed he looked as he slept.

By the time Tony headed off to a two-week security conference at the end of the summer, they had given up on Gibbs ever coming back. And if Abby occasionally closed her eyes and pretended Tim was somebody else or if McGee kept his hands away from her chest and the reminder that this wasn't the man he wanted in bed, neither said anything out loud. And they didn't call each other on the self-deception. They just made do.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: This story's all done - I'm posting chapters with some space in between, but there are only four of them. And thanks for the comments on the first chapter! Yes, I'm back. Kind of. This was mostly written in April, but the WEE posting period was last week. I haven't forgotten Patience, but RL has been kicking my butt worse than Gibbs in the sparring ring and the next three weeks are going to be insane. Novel revisions have been taking priority since that's coming out in January and the first chapter needs to be completely ready and out there as a teaser next month. *gulp* (If you're interested in that, email me on Gmail at jenniecoughlin28.) But I promise I will get back to Patience soon and it will be finished before Halloween. _**  
**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_September_

Abby's footsteps clomping through the bullpen pulled McGee out of his computer game reverie. Tony would be back soon, and they would be back in the thick of catching cases. He knew the director was keeping him, Ziva, and Lee busy with little things because she didn't think they could handle a major case with Tony gone. He ignored the _"and Gibbs"_ his brain tried to tack on. He had to get past the hope Gibbs would return, had to help Abby find a way past it, too.

Watching her spill powdered sugar on his keyboard snapped him out of his reverie.

"Abby, you are getting powder all over my keyboard."

"What's your point, Tim?"

He tried to keep his voice calm and reasonable. "My point is that you are really, really overdoing the sugar thing again."

"I'm eating for two."

His jaw dropped, and he grabbed her arm, panic rising in his chest.

"Relax, I was referring to the health food freak over there."

But before he had time to bring his brain back online, Tony had returned, looking tanned and rested. Then Ziva had disappeared, the FBI had shown up, and there was no time to think about anything.

Gibbs. Gibbs was back. Red-eyed and scruffier than any of Abby's ex-boyfriends and looking like he belonged on a beach, not wearing a badge, but here. And once they found Ziva, saw the tape recorder she had used to capture the Iranian agent's confession, he let a little bit of hope into his heart. Gibbs was back and the director would put him back in charge of the team and Tim would happily take the demotion just so Abby could have a chance with Gibbs and he could have a chance with Tony.

And then Gibbs was handing him an envelope and leaving and Tim wanted to ask if he would ever be back for good, but he didn't. Because asking would mean getting an answer, and he could tell from the way Gibbs hadn't shaved that it wasn't the answer any of them wanted.

He handed off the letter and made sure Ziva really was OK before heading to the lab. Abby was sitting there, her monitors free of Gibbs' photo for the first time in weeks.

"Timmy, are we all going out with Gibbs tonight? We need to welcome him back, tell him how much we-"

Tim hated to steal Gibbs' move, but he put a finger to Abby's lips, and she went from bouncy to still, eyes wide.

"I'm sorry, Abbs." He didn't know what else to say, especially when her eyes filled with tears, the warm water trickling down her cheeks as soon as she blinked. He pulled her into a hug, feeling her slim frame shake as she cried into his shoulder. He whispered nonsense in her ear, sounds and random words, anything to try and ease the ache settling back in. All those hopes for nothing.

"Come on, let's go home." He pulled back until he could see her face, eye makeup creating black tracks on her cheeks.

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

They lay in bed, relaxed for once, even though he knew that would fade as reality hit home. And the thought of reality reminded Tim of Abby's comment from well before their hope that Gibbs would return had been renewed and crushed all over again. He ran a hand down her spine as she snuggled into his chest, his fingers raising goosebumps over her smooth skin.

"In the bullpen, were you telling the truth? You're really not, right? Because after you killed me for knocking you up, Tony and Ziva would make you bring me back from the dead so they could kick my ass. Then Gibbs would use his sniper rifle to make sure I made an honest woman of you. Then you'd kill me again because we'd be stuck together. Or maybe that's when I'd kill myself." He let his head drop back on the pillow.

Abby laughed, into his chest, the sound sending vibrations through him. "Relax, Timmy. I promise, no babies for me."

Tim ran one hand along her back. "What about-" He hesitated. "Gibbs was a dad once. What if-?"

Abby pulled away, rolling onto her back. "I've been thinking about that." She chewed on her lower lip. "I never really thought about it, because he's never seemed to want kids. But then we found out about Shannon and Kelly..." Her voice trailed off, and Tim could see tears shining in her eyes.

"We always wondered why he was so good with kids." He kept his voice quiet.

"Gibbs would be a great dad." Abby smiled. "You would, too, Timmy, but unless Tony's been keeping secrets-"

"I know, Abbs." Tim shrugged. "That's one of the things I knew I'd be giving up if I decided I wanted to be with Tony. But it would be worth it."

"You mean he's worth it." Abby hesitated. "Face it, when we were together-" She looked at them in bed together and laughed. "Well, really together. Anyway, you know you wanted kids and I didn't, and we never would have made it work."

Tim looked at her, raising one eyebrow. "Why do I hear a 'but' there?" When Abby's eyes dropped, he reached over and tipped her chin up. "Abbs, what would you do if Gibbs wanted to be a dad again?"

Her voice was almost inaudible. "I'd say 'OK.' And I'd mean it." She slid a hand down over her belly. "I just... I can't imagine what that might have been like. And even though we'd want to kill each other every day because he'd try to wrap me in bubble wrap and I think bubble wrap's for popping, I... I'd like a Gibblet. If he wants one." She grinned. "And if not, I'm bugging you and Tony until you adopt so he can be the coolest Uncle Gibbs ever."

Tim rolled his eyes. "Tony would have to be interested first."

Abby grinned. "You saw the look in his eyes when I said your sneaky ways were getting me hot. He totally agreed." Her grin morphed into a wicked smirk. "I'll bet he left because he didn't want us to notice how much he was enjoying that thought."

"You just keep thinking that, Abby." Tim rolled over and buried his face in the pillow. How was this his life again?


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Then there was another case, and Gibbs was back again. And then he moved all the desks back and Gibbs was back to stay, even if he did have that creepy mustache. Gibbs was back, and McGee should have been happy because now Abby had a chance with her silver fox and he had a chance with Tony. And Tim didn't have to spend part of every day wondering if he'd ever been as by-the-book as Lee.

Except the way Tony was treating him, it was like he was the rookie of two years ago. Probie, probie, probie, all day long. From senior field agent — OK, acting senior field agent — to probie. It hurt, and Tim couldn't figure out how to make it stop. If he were normal, he'd just stop wanting more from Tony. He snorted to himself. If he were normal, he'd still be working in Norfolk. No team, no Abby, no coffin, no hopeless crushes on gorgeous senior field agents who treated him like crap. McGee forced himself to focus on the case before Gibbs came back and realized how distracted he was.

He stuffed down his irritation when Tony was hissing "Probie" at him while talking to Dispatch, reminded himself that ignoring it was the best way to go. But Tony wouldn't let it drop.

"You got a hearing problem?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Were you talking to me?" He knew he sounded snarky, but right now he didn't really care.

"There's no one else in the squad room." Tony sauntered over, notebook in hand, like this was two years ago and Tim really was still a probie.

"Well, you said Probie, and since Agent Lee has been reassigned to the legal department, I wasn't exactly sure who you were referring to." He pressed his hands down on the desk, hoping Tony would catch a clue before he started to hate the man he'd had a thing for these last several months.

Tony just laughed. "I get it. You don't like being called Probie anymore." But he didn't really seem to get it.

"Things change." And he'd thought this one would be a change for the better, not a reason to hate going to work. He looked down before he did something stupid, although right now he couldn't decide whether he was more likely to punch Tony or kiss him. He wasn't exactly sure which would land him in more hot water, either.

"Yes, they do, Pro-bie." Tony drew out the name like fingernails scraping all the way down the chalkboard. "I used to be team leader."

It was the name that did it, that stupid name that Tony said like he relished the feel of it in his mouth, the one that showed he would never think of McGee as an equal, much less somebody he might be interested in. Gibbs was back, and it was worse than when he'd left. McGee fired back, not caring how much damage he inflicted.

"Temporary team leader." He bit off every syllable so it was crystal clear. "And that was only because Gibbs quit."

"You don't think I rate my own team?" He grinned, that big smile Tim usually loved to see. But Tony had pushed him too far.

"Wouldn't be here now if you did, DiNozzo." It took effort to make that sound casual, but he thought he'd pulled it off.

Tony's eyes dropped. "Yeah. Maybe you're right." He turned away. "If Gibbs asks, tell him I went out for coffee." As Tony turned away, Tim felt a stab of guilt. Tony didn't — well, OK, Tony did deserve some crap — but this was obviously not the right kind to dish out.

Tony ran out, and McGee stared after him, wishing he could take it back.

"Tony, I didn't..." But the agent didn't even look back, just raised a folder and kept walking, and that hurt a hundred times worse than being called probie.

He watched Tony go until he sensed somebody standing by his desk and looked up.

"McGee." Gibbs paused. "How long have I been an NCIS special agent?"

McGee thought for a second, back to the information they had learned in the spring after the explosion that ruined pretty much everything for everybody. "Almost 16 years."

"Want to take a wild guess what my first partner still calls me?"

Tim looked up at Gibbs, the pieces clicking into place. Oh. He'd thought McGeek was the affectionate nickname. He didn't realize... And he didn't finish that thought because Gibbs was right there and McGee's brain might break if he let his mind go down that road about Tony while the Boss was within earshot. Mindshot? Whatever. Like Abby always said, Gibbs could read minds, and a Rule 12 glare was not what he needed now.

Of course, if Abby was right about the mind reading, Gibbs knew Abby was interested in him and was just ignoring it. Maybe he wouldn't point that out to Abby, though. Today didn't need the wrath of Abby. He already needed to figure out what to do about hurting Tony, because he was an idiot not to see that if being demoted hurt him, it had to hurt Tony 10 times more. He wondered if there was a way to point that out to Gibbs without getting Tony and Abby both mad at him, but decided it was more likely Ziva would ever give up her Mossad spy/assassin/ninja approach to everything — including speed dating — where "more likely" meant values approaching zero.

As he dug back into his work, Tim wondered how Gibbs could be back the way they'd all wanted and life could still be completely screwed up.


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: And, as promised, the final chapter in this tale. It's been a quirky collection of pairings, so I'd love to hear what you think about how it worked overall. _

* * *

**Chapter 4**

_Halloween_

Gibbs had been back for more than a month and Abby had mostly — mostly — given up on him realizing she was having really, really non-platonic thoughts about him. Still, she hadn't been able to resist picking a sexy Halloween costume, just in case they got called in for a case. Timmy had wished her luck, even when she wouldn't tell him who she was dressing up as. She reminded herself not to mock his snowelf costume and cheerleader ice princess. Much.

Seeing Jimmy, Timmy, and Tony speechless was kind of fun, but not the reaction she was hoping for. Although if she couldn't get Gibbs to bite on a sultry blonde — Abby shivered at the idea — at least she knew Timmy would enjoy distracting her, especially now that he'd realized the cheerleader wasn't going to be a good enough distraction from Tony.

Still, she couldn't help smirking when Gibbs smacked the guys for ogling.

"On it, Boss!" Timmy and Tony left the lab.

Gibbs scanned her body, and Abby could feel her nipples tightening, heat pooling in her belly at his look.

"Not bad for a blonde." Now it was Gibbs' turn to smirk.

Abby couldn't resist. "You know, there's no statistical evidence that says blondes have lower IQs than any other hair color."

"I'll take your word for it, Abbs." He headed out.

"There's more." Abby paused, trying to keep her tone teasing. "If you're interested."

Gibbs stuck his head back in the lab, and she repeated herself.

"There's more. If you're interested... Mr. President." She smirked when he came right back in, eyes definitely focused on something other than her face. Now that she had him hooked, she got down to business. "I ran some tests on the piece of burned paper found inside the kidnapper's car. There were no fingerprints, but I did find traces of chemicals."

Abby briefed Gibbs, then watched as he chewed out Ziva when she came to report.

"Is there something I should know?" Abby asked.

"I think he is planning on devouring me." Ziva left, and Abby couldn't help picturing Gibbs laying her out on his bed, nibbling his fill.

"And they say blondes have all the fun." She pouted, then got back to the evidence.

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

Gibbs watched Abby and Ducky escort the princess around the squadroom, lost in thoughts of his own little princess trick-or-treating until Jen came over and broke the spell. Once he was back in the present, though, he couldn't stop looking down at the pin-up girl escorting the princess around, her big heart as visible as the rest of her assets in that costume.

It had been a long time since he'd thought about a woman that way. His past few red-headed dating disasters had convinced him that his last girlfriend — the one who had delighted in tormenting the team by dropping him off and picking him up just to make them curious — would be his last girlfriend. None of them had been Shannon. But then he'd been blown up and had started to wonder if maybe his problem had been that he kept trying to find another Shannon.

Abby wasn't Shannon. And she was even more obsessed with her job than he was — no complaints that he was cheating on her with work. He hadn't realized until his return from Mexico, but her sheer joy and warmth was healing some of the cracks the bomb had blown loose. And even knowing everything — everything — about his past, she still flirted. Hell, she'd been flirting more since he'd gotten back than she ever had before, even the time she'd asked if he had any fetishes. She knew, and she wasn't running. And he was tired of denying both of them.

He watched as Ducky escorted Laurie Niles and her daughter to the elevator, then headed for the back elevator. When it stopped one floor below to let Abby on, he let one corner of his mouth quirk up.

"Sweet, Abbs." He nodded in the direction of the bullpen.

Her face lit up before a jaw-cracking yawn hit. "Sorry, Gibbs. Long night." She yawned again.

"You should go home, Abbs."

She shook her head. "Too tired to drive. I'll just stretch out in my lab for a while."

He tried not to picture her asleep on the futon, her white skirt tangled around her pale legs.

"Drive you home." He didn't bother making it a question, and Abby just nodded, her head drooping a bit as she leaned against the elevator wall. He figured her Caf-Pows must have worn off.

When the elevator opened and she didn't move, he put his hand on the small of her back and guided her off. Or at least he tried to tell himself that was the real reason he was touching her soft skin. She shivered as they walked into the lab.

"Cold?"

She shook her head, but once she had her things, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders anyway. As he looked over at her, Gibbs noticed hard nipples poking at the flimsy white fabric of her dress. Just to investigate, he caressed her arm with his fingers, feeling her shiver again. He smiled, then forced his mind away from that tempting thought before his own body reacted and gave him away.

It wasn't long before he was pulling up outside her apartment.

"Let me walk you up, Abbs." He didn't give her a chance to argue, just parked the car. He watched as she fumbled the key in the lock and walked inside, then followed, shutting the door behind him. She kicked off the slim heels she'd worn home, sighing with relief. "How do people wear those every day?"

"Foot rub?" He looked at her, not missing the pink that started to rise on her skin when his eyes raked over her.

"Gibbs?" Abby turned to look at him, and he stepped close to her.

"Worked hard today, Abbs. You deserve it." He stepped away and sat down on one end of her couch, patting the space next to him. She moved to sit, but he had to look at her again before she put her feet in his lap. He started working his thumbs into the soles of her feet, loosening the tension he could feel there. He pressed on one spot just below the ball of her foot and she groaned. With each sound she made, he got harder. When he switched feet, the feel of her relaxed foot pressing against his erection made him bite back a moan. He looked over to see her staring at him, her eyes dilated and cheeks flushed.

Gibbs ran one hand up her bare leg, smirking as she parted her legs for him. "Patience, Abbs." He slid his hand back, and finished massaging her foot, trying to ignore the tightness in his pants. When he finished, he ran his hand up her leg again, and angled his body toward her, careful to lift her feet out of his lap first. Her outside foot dropped to the floor as she opened her legs, skirt draped over the V. Gibbs reached toward her and took her hand, helping her to sit up. She did, then kept moving until he had a lapful of forensic scientist, her chest pressed against his as she nuzzled his neck. He slid a hand under her skirt, up her legs, and couldn't resist sliding his fingers between her legs, finding her wet enough to make the insides of her thighs sticky.

Her moan went straight to his cock, and he thrust his hips a bit.

"Gibbs, wait." Abby pulled back from him, trying to get her breath under control. "Are you... Are you sure?"

He nodded. "Never been more sure about anything." He leaned toward her, his breath right on her ear. "Been wanting this for a while, but needed..." He hesitated, let the memories recede. "Needed to make peace first." He didn't mention with what, and Abby just wrapped her arms around him and hugged, her face buried against his neck. As she moved, she drove his fingers more deeply into her, and her hug was too much for just a second until she arched back against his arms. He pulled her in, fingers working her over as he used his other arm to anchor her. She kissed her way up his jaw to his lips as he brought her over the edge.

**~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~NCIS~**

McGee watched as Abby left with Gibbs that day, hoping at least one of them was getting what they wanted.

"Come on, Elflord." Tony walked up behind him. "Movie night, my place."

"Sure." The word was out before McGee thought about it.

When he showed up at Tony's later, he still wasn't sure why he hadn't made excuses. Movie night just meant torturing himself with what he wanted and couldn't have. Especially when Tony seemed oblivious.

"Man, Abby was hot in her costume." Tony wiggled his eyebrows. "Come on, admit it, McGee. You liked seeing her like that."

"Yeah, yeah." McGee rolled his eyes. "You were staring at least as hard as I was." He smirked. "We weren't the ones she wanted ogling her, though."

Tony stared at him for a second, then laughed, a full, happy sound. "She really thinks she can get the Boss to jump her by dressing as Marilyn?"

McGee squeezed his eyes shut. "Thank you for that image I can't ever unsee." He stuck his tongue out at Tony and tried not to think what he really wanted to do with his tongue and Tony. "She told me she wanted to find out one way or another."

"Wait, you knew about this?" Tony sat up, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "No way, McLiar. You didn't know anything about this. I saw the look on your face when we walked into the lab the first time. You practically had drool coming out of your mouth."

McGee felt the tips of his ears heat up. "You were trying to see what other tattoos besides her cross she might have that you hadn't seen."

"And you weren't?" Tony wiggled his eyebrows.

"I've seen them all." McGee smirked, feeling like he had the upper hand. "Just because I'm not used to seeing them on display at the office doesn't mean I don't know them in great detail."

"Ree-eaally." Tony licked his lips, the gesture so small it had to be involuntary. McGee shifted in his seat and crossed his legs so Tony wouldn't realize how much his... enthusiasm was affecting him. "Like what?"

"Unlike you, I don't kiss and tell, Tony." McGee smiled. "Or maybe I should say, unlike Ziva. Since she was so happy to tell us about your assets after that undercover op last year. At least the ones you weren't showing off on camera."

As Tony's cheeks flushed, McGee shifted again at the memory of what he'd seen before Tony tied his bathrobe during the undercover assassins case. At least then he'd had a cart to hide behind. Now he was starting to feel a little exposed.

"Want a beer, Tim?" Tony turned as he stood and headed for the kitchen in his apartment.

"I have to drive home — better not." McGee was happy for the excuse. He was too close to giving away how he felt already without adding a buzz. While Tony was out of the room, he adjusted himself to relieve the pressure that had been building the past few minutes — with only a little success.

Tony walked back out, two bottles in hand. "You can crash here. After the past couple of days, I think beer is definitely in order." He handed McGee one bottle, and McGee shifted his crossed leg so Tony maybe might not notice the bulge in his lap. Especially since Tony had taken off his tie a while ago. Wait, wasn't just the top button unbuttoned before. McGee tried to remember, but the glimpse of Tony's chest where the second button was undone kept shortcircuiting his brain.

"Thinking about getting Abby out of that dress?" Tony's voice was heavy and dark, and when McGee dragged his eyes up to his face, Tony was looking right at his lap.

"What? No!" McGee shook his head. "It's not like that with us, hasn't been like that for years."

Tony jerked his head back, looked at McGee. "But... This summer...?"

McGee shook his head. "That was sex, nothing else." He sighed. "Abby wanted Gibbs. And I..." His voice trailed off. "We both wanted somebody we couldn't have, so we made do."

"You mean you didn't want Abby?" Tony straightened up, took a sip from his bottle of beer. "Why didn't you just make a move on Ziva?" Tony moved to sit on the couch next to him. "I didn't have a Rule 12." But he wasn't looking at McGee, and his body was stiff.

"Zi-? Huh? She'd chew me up and spit me back out." McGee shook his head. "Yeah, she's hot and I was a little interested last year, but until she figures out she doesn't need to be all Mossad assassin with us, I can't imagine her being willing to have an actual relationship with anybody."

"If it's not Ziva..." Tony's voice trailed off.

McGee could feel the heat radiating out from Tony in the small space between them and wanted to press against it, but also didn't want Tony to punch him. So he stayed as still as he could, hand wrapped around the beer bottle until his knuckles turned white.

"If it's not Ziva, and it's not Abby..." Tony paused.

When McGee finally gave in and looked over, Tony was looking at him, an expression McGee couldn't quite pinpoint on his face. McGee felt a little bit of hope rise in his chest and couldn't help grinning.

Tony turned his body toward McGee, and hesitated. Then he reached over and took McGee's beer bottle from his hand, putting both beers on the coffee table. McGee let him, and angled his own body toward Tony, waiting.

"Not Ziva." Tony started to smile. "Not Abby." He wiggled his eyebrows. "But somebody I know."

McGee nodded, waiting. He knew what he wanted, but he needed to be sure of Tony's interest.

And then Tony's hand was on his knee. McGee leaned in and Tony's hand slid up his leg, warm fingers along the inseam of his jeans. Next thing he knew, Tony was kissing him. McGee slid his hands around Tony's hips, pulling Tony's shirt from his pants, getting his hands underneath and running them along the muscles in Tony's back.

Tony leaned back and McGee was on top of him, their bodies pressed together, Tony's hands on his ass. It was like being 15 again and not getting even as far as clothes off before they both were coming in their pants, collapsing into a heap on the couch.

"We need to do that again, but naked." Tony's voice was raw. "And in my bed."

McGee nodded, then pressed his lips at the base of Tony's throat. Tony's answering groan rumbled beneath McGee's lips.

"I'm really glad Gibbs came back." Tony finally said. "And I'm glad I turned down Rota."

McGee jerked up. "Rota? Spain?"

Tony nodded, his eyes half-closed. "Team leader there. But I didn't want to leave. Glad I didn't."

McGee settled back on his chest. "Me, too." And reminded himself to apologize to Tony for his crack a few weeks ago when they both were awake.


End file.
